lienbacker James Farrior is entering his 14th NFL season.It might be too late to help quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who got himself into a jackpot in a VIP bathroom in a Milledgeville, Ga., college bar and is facing at least a four-game suspension to start the NFL season. It's also too late to help wide receiver Santonio Holmes, who had a variety of legal problems before he was traded to the New York Jets. But it's not too late to help Maurkice Pouncey. Jason Worilds. Emmanuel Sanders. Even the younger veterans on the Steelers.

"I try to tell those guys it's all about using their time better and making better decisions," linebacker James Farrior said at training camp this week. "Most of it is just common sense. You're a grown man. You know what to do and what not to do. You know what's going to get you in trouble. Stay away from it."

That's just like Farrior to try to turn Roethlisberger's and Holmes' mistakes into something positive for the Steelers. He's a terrific team leader, in the mold of Jerome Bettis before him. The football team might be coach Mike Tomlin's, but the locker room is Farrior's. When he speaks, the younger players listen. If they don't, they are fools.

That's why it's nice that Farrior is back for his 14th NFL season. He's not the same player he was five years ago. No player 35 is the same as he was when he was 30. Clearly, there were signs last season that Farrior's performance had started to slip. "I know I left plenty of plays on the field when I really could have helped the team," he said.

But Farrior isn't quite ready to write off his career. Nor am I willing to do it for him. It will be a surprise -- at least to me -- if he and Lawrence Timmons aren't the Steelers' starting inside linebackers again this season, although Larry Foote, back after a year with the Detroit Lions, certainly is in the mix.

"I feel like I made all the right steps to get better," Farrior said. He talked of working out during the offseason with teammates Foote, Ike Taylor, Bryant McFadden and William Gay in the "hot-***" Orlando, Fla., sun with conditioning guru Tom Shaw. "I'm in the best shape I've been in in a while."

Farrior and Foote are best friends. "I'm glad that loud mouth is back," Farrior said, grinning. If the two are uncomfortable about competing for a job, they hide it well. "That's the great thing about this team," Farrior said. "McFadden and Gay worked out with us, and they never talked once about competing for a job. We're all in this together. I know the coaches are going to put the best players out there. If it's not me, I'll do whatever I have to do to get better."

The defense needs to be better, period. It gave up too many big plays last season and had too many breakdowns, losing five fourth-quarter leads. "Heart-breaking," Farrior called the collapses. "But we've got everybody back that we feel we can win a championship with. We're locked and loaded."

Farrior wasn't just talking about Foote and McFadden, who spent last season with the Arizona Cardinals. He, like everyone else who follows the Steelers, thinks it will be huge to get back a healthy Troy Polamalu at safety and a healthy Aaron Smith at defensive end.

"People ask me all the time how much difference Troy will make," Farrior said. "I tell them he's one of the greatest players I've ever played with. But the key to our defense is Aaron, more so than Troy. He's almost the perfect player. He never does anything bad out there. The coaches never yell at him."

Farrior grinned, again.

"They yell at me all the time."

We'll begin to find out how much Farrior has left and how good this defense will be when the preseason starts Aug.14. In the meantime, Farrior will continue to offer wise advice to his younger teammates.

Maybe even to one of his older ones.

"I'm sure I'll talk to Ben at some point during camp," Farrior said. "It won't be something I'll talk about out in the open. I don't think I have to say too much to him. He knows the situation. He just has to make better decisions."

Pouncey, Worilds, Sanders and the rest of the younger Steelers can learn so much not just by listening to what Farrior says, but by noticing the big price that Roethlisberger has paid for his indiscretions.

"It's like I tell them: 'You don't want to do anything to mess up the chance to make this kind of living,' " Farrior said.

"That usually sticks with them more than anything. When you start talking about their money, they sit up and pay attention."

I Love the message that Farrior is sending to his team but i also think that it is the coaches responsibility to keep the team in check. These men need to learn that this is not High School or College anymore they are professionals and need to act like it. On and off the field.

SteelCityKid5

08-03-2010, 01:44 PM

Farrior isnt just a great player, he's a great human being as well.

LatrobePA

08-03-2010, 02:01 PM

Good stuff, thanks for posting it!

steelersbabex25

08-03-2010, 02:13 PM

"I try to tell those guys it's all about using their time better and making better decisions," linebacker James Farrior said at training camp this week. "Most of it is just common sense. You're a grown man. You know what to do and what not to do. You know what's going to get you in trouble. Stay away from it."

From Steeler Nation in its entirety, thank you James Farrior.

BlitzburghRockCity

08-03-2010, 06:02 PM

Farrior will go down as one of the great Steeler linebackers mentioned in the same names as Lloyd, Greene, Porter, Ham, Lambert, etc. He's a leader, a team player, and a great mentor on and off the field for the young guys to emulate. I look for him to bounce back this year and have a solid campaign.

75Steeler

08-03-2010, 11:22 PM

I'm glad Farrior is hanging in there both in a leadership role and with keeping himself in shape in the off season. That shows he takes his job very seriously and wants to win with this team. This is the second article I have read recently that talked about our players taking the time in the off season to improve themselves physically. I hope that is a suggestion of great things to come.

DanRooney

08-03-2010, 11:31 PM

At this point in his career he should be nothing more than a great backup. I would like to see Fox/Foote in rotation with him a lot this season. Please don't put Farrior in coverage any more LeBeau.

Black@Gold Forever32

08-03-2010, 11:36 PM

Ok.......Nice shots at Ben by Mr. Cook.....God I have always hated Ron Cook and he such a hack.......Takes the time to write a article praising James Farrior and I agree about Farrior but still can't let the whole Ben fiasco go......lol Ben just beast all year and win your 3rd Lombardi then maybe the haters will finally shut the hell up.......

KSSteelerfan

08-04-2010, 02:55 AM

Ok.......Nice shots at Ben by Mr. Cook.....God I have always hated Ron Cook and he such a hack.......Takes the time to write a article praising James Farrior and I agree about Farrior but still can't let the whole Ben fiasco go......lol Ben just beast all year and win your 3rd Lombardi then maybe the haters will finally shut the hell up.......

Agreed I'm sick of hearing about Ben's lack of better judgment in his pursuit of questionable activities outside of football. Let's face it...Ben is neither a role model or someone that kids should look up to. We all get that. But enough is enough. It's good to see them focus on the positives with James. But a little less about Ben would have made it a better article. Here's a novel idea. How about the article focus on more examples of James leadership with little or no mention of Ben.

BlitzburghRockCity

08-04-2010, 09:36 AM

At this point in his career he should be nothing more than a great backup. I would like to see Fox/Foote in rotation with him a lot this season. Please don't put Farrior in coverage any more LeBeau.

Farrior isn't going to give up that very easily; if Foote is going to take over more of the duties inside he's going to have to beat James outright. I wouldn't be surprised though to see Foote rotated in during the game even if he doesn't beat out Farrior for the job, just to keep them fresh for the 4th quarter when you need your defense to step up and have as many fresh legs as possible.

K Train

08-04-2010, 09:45 AM

At this point in his career he should be nothing more than a great backup. I would like to see Fox/Foote in rotation with him a lot this season. Please don't put Farrior in coverage any more LeBeau.

this

i like timmons as the mack and fox as the buck with foote and farrior as backups, thats a solid rotation and farrior can get alot of first down snaps

Silverback

08-04-2010, 03:42 PM

"People ask me all the time how much difference Troy will make," Farrior said. "I tell them he's one of the greatest players I've ever played with. But the key to our defense is Aaron, more so than Troy. He's almost the perfect player. He never does anything bad out there. The coaches never yell at him."

Thats really saying something about Smith.

steelcitysfinestXL

08-04-2010, 04:04 PM

this

i like timmons as the mack and fox as the buck with foote and farrior as backups, thats a solid rotation and farrior can get alot of first down snaps

Good point here that i think most dont know and/or are overlooking. The best back up to Farrior is TIMMONS. Fox and Foote are both WAY better suited to play the BUCK. Timmons is the only one (besides maybe Farrior) who can play both sides.

So K is right, we have 4 guys that can rotate and play somehwere in the middle and keep each other fresh. I'd start with Timmons and Farrior to establish stopping the run early and rotate Foote in early and often. Put Larry at his BUCK sliding Timmons to the MACK, resting Farrior.

No matter how lebeau does it, he has to be VERY comfortable with ALL 4 of his inside backers at anytime... they can all play!!!!

"People ask me all the time how much difference Troy will make," Farrior said. "I tell them he's one of the greatest players I've ever played with. But the key to our defense is Aaron, more so than Troy. He's almost the perfect player. He never does anything bad out there. The coaches never yell at him."

Thats really saying something about Smith.

Yeah Aaron Smith has been the most consistant Steeler since Jeff Hartings, maybe even Dermonti Dawson. He's just that good! People can argue that Troy is or isnt the best safety in the league... but i dont think there is an argument who the best 3-4 DE is and has been for years!